Watch-regulator.



No. 670,364. Patented Mar. 19, I901. T. n. BOLTON.

WATCH REGULATOR.

(Application file d Apr. 24, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES ATTLNT @rrrcri.

THOMAS E. BOLTON, OF NET/V YORK, N. Y.

WATCH REG U LATG SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.670,364, dated March 19, 1901.

Application filed April 2 1897.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS R. BOLTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watch and ClockRegulating Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention relates to improvements in clocks.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofclocks and to provide a simple, ineXpensive,and efficient devicedesigned to take the place of the wedge for securing the outer end ofthe hair-spring and capable of ready adjustment to enable the hairspringto be lengthened and shortened.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section,illustrating an adjusting device constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figuresof the drawings.

1 and 2 designate front and back plates which inclose the works and formthe bearings for the shafts or arbors of the clock mechanism, and 3designates the spindle to which the inner end of the hair-spring 4 isattached in the usual manner. A balance-wheel 5 of the ordinaryconstruction is mounted upon the spindle 3. The outer end of thehairspring is arranged between a pair of disks or rollers 8 and 9,having slight annular grooves or recesses located between their ends toguide the spring and hold the same against lateral movement, and therebyinsure the proper engagements, said recesses or grooves not being deepenough to interfere with the frictional contact between the disks orrollers and the spring. The disks or rollers 8 and 9 are mounted uponparallel shafts 6 and 7, journaled in suitable bearings of the frame ofthe Serial No. 633,570. (No model.)

clock mechanism and movement and carrying gear-wheels 10 and 11, meshingwith each other and adapted to cause both shafts and their disks orrollers to rotate in unison. One of the shafts is extended beyond thecasing and is provided at its outer end with a suitable knob or wheel12, by means of which the shafts are rotated. By placing the outer endof the hair-sp ring between the rollers or disks 8 and 9 and gearing theshafts together by pinions 10 and 11 it will be apparent that theturning of one of the shafts will rotate both of the disks or rollers toeither take up the hair-spring orlet it out, according to the directionin which the disks or rollers are rotated.

The adjusting mechanism is designed to be substituted for the meansusually employed in inexpensive clocks for adjusting the hairspring andfor securing it in its adjusted position. It is the ordinary practice inadjusting hair-springs of this character to draw the outer end throughan opening of the arm or portion of the frame or casing and to insertawedge in the opening to clamp the hair-spring. This means, while beingsimple and effective, is attended with considerable inconvenience, andit will be apparent that the adjusting device herein shown and describedwill enable the hair-spring to be readily lengthened or shortened andwill permit the same to be quickly changed by simply rotating the shaft.It will also be apparent that it will securely hold the outer end of thehair-spring in its adjusted position.

/Vhat I claim is In a device for holding the hair-spring of a clock, thecombination of a frame, a pair of parallel shafts journaled in suitablebearings of the frame, one of the shafts being extended beyond the frameand provided with means for rotating it from the exterior, an arborarranged parallel with the said shafts, a hairspring connected at itsinner end to the said arbor and having its outer end located be tweenthe said shafts, the disks fixed to the shafts and provided withcircumferential grooves receiving and conforming to the configuration ofthe hair-spring and forming shoulders for engaging the side edges of thesaid hair-spring to prevent lateral movement thereof, said disksfrictionally engaging and adapted to clamp the hair-spring in itsadjusted position, and gearing connecting the shafts, whereby the latterare positively rotated to permit the outer end of the hairspring to bemoved inward and outward from the exterior of the frame, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS E. BOLTON.

Witnesses:

A. THOMPSON MOEWEN, JOHN F. BOLTON.

